Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins last week filed a motion indicating he plans to appeal the dismissal of mortgage fraud cases against oil family heir Al Hill III.

State District Judge Lena Levario dismissed the charges March 7 at a hearing where Hill had accused Watkins of prosecutorial misconduct. Hill alleged Watkins filed the charges as a favor to Watkins’ friend and political benefactor Lisa Blue.

Craig Watkins was held in contempt of court March 7 after refusing to testify at a hearing looking into allegations of misconduct against him by oil family heir Al Hill III.

Watkins refused to testify at the hearing and Levario held Watkins in contempt of court. Blue invoked her Fifth Amendment right not incriminate herself and did not testify. Levario cited Watkins’ refusal to testify as part of the reason she dismissed the charges.

Watkins’ staff has not yet filed the actual appeal. The DA’s office has only filed a motion saying they intend to appeal with the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.

Blue and other attorneys were suing Hill for attorneys fees. Hill said that the pending criminal charges prevented him from taking the stand in the fee dispute case. The attorneys were awarded an amount later reduced to $22 million.

Hill was accused of taking out the $500,000 loan using the Highland Park home where he lived as collateral. But public records show he owned only 20 percent of the home, with the remainder owned by a trust that benefited his father, Al Hill Jr. The percentage of ownership in the home is a matter of dispute.

The loan was paid back before criminal charges were filed.

At the hearing looking into allegations of misconduct against Watkins, Levario dismissed the charges against Hill, partially because of Watkins’ refusal to testify.

Watkins said he was refusing to testify because how prosecutors do their jobs should not be questioned in court. Legal experts said he had a good argument but gutted it by allowing other prosecutors to testify.

State Disrict Judge Bob Brotherton was appointed to the case because all officers of the court, like attorneys, are given a hearing when they are held in contempt. This extra step before a second judge to determine whether a contempt order should be withheld is a check on the power given to judges.

State District Judge Bob Brotherton

If Brotherton upholds Levario’s contempt citation, the case will be sent back to Levario to decide whether Watkins is fined, jailed or faces no sanction.

The DA’s office has said it is considering whether to refile charges against Hill.

The hearing where Brotherton will decide whether to uphold the contempt charge has been tentatively set for mid-April.

“It should be filed tomorrow, and the clerk will have that information at that time,” Brotherton wrote. The judge declined to name the attorney is appointing to the case and said the name will be public once his order is filed.

“A hearing will be scheduled once the special prosecutor and counsel for Mr. Watkins have had a chance to confer,” Brotherton wrote.

Craig Watkins was held in contempt of court after refusing to testify at a hearing looking into allegations of misconduct against Watkins by oil family heir Al Hill III.

Watkins refused to testify, saying the workings of his office and the work product of prosecutors should not questioned in court. Legal experts said Watkins had a good argument but gutted it by allowing other prosecutors to testify.

Oil family heir and millionaire Al Hill III alleged Watkins filed mortgage fraud charges against him as a favor to Watkins’ friend and political benefactor Lisa Blue. Blue and two other attorneys were suing Hill for attorneys fees.

Hill argued that the criminal charges prevented him from testifying during his trial with Blue. Blue and the other attorneys ultimately won an amount later reduced to $22 million.

Blue invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate herself and did not testify. Watkins was offered the chance to do the same and not be held in contempt. He did not take the Fifth.

At the hearing about alleged prosecutorial misconduct, Levario dropped the charges against Hill. Levario said Hill could not receive a fair hearing, partially because of Watkins’ refusal to testify.

Mahaffey was arrested by SMU police in September, after a student said he was sexually assaulted at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house and then half a mile away in a campus parking garage.

Last week, the District Attorney’s office dropped the charges, according to court records. “Upon review of all facts associated with the case by Cresta Garland, Assistant District Attorney, it has been determined that there is no probable cause to support an element of the offense,” according to the one-page motion.

The student told police Mahaffey forced him to give oral sex. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the student told Mahaffey “no” and “stop” several times, but said he felt intimidated and was afraid Mahaffey would get violent. He said Mahaffey told him “You better not tell a soul,” the affidavit said.

The next day, the student met with SMU police and agreed to record a phone call with Mahaffey. During the phone call, he told Mahaffey, “You know I did not want to do that?” According to the affidavit, Mahaffey replied, “I know you didn’t, but we have to say it was consensual or lawyers, parents, and the school will be involved.”

The District Attorney’s office has been contacted. Updates will be added, as they become available.

A man stole $2,000 worth of shirts and pants in a Monday morning raid at the Mockingbird Station Victoria’s Secret, marking the fourth time the store has been hit in recent months, police said.

Witnesses told police that a thief walked into the store at 5331 E. Mockingbird Lane about 11:15 a.m. Monday and snatched eight sweatshirts, eight pairs of sweatpants and 40 shirts. The suspect reportedly drove away in a red Dodge Durango.

Earlier this month, a 300-pound, 6’2” man made off with 20 sets of pajamas valued at $35 each — $700 of merchandise overall -– before hopping into a waiting gold getaway sedan with a woman in the driver’s seat.

Thieves also targeted the store twice around Christmas. On Dec. 17, police said a man walked into the store and grabbed 20 pajama sets worth more than $1,000. The security guard tried to stop him, but the man “bull rushed” her and knocked her to the ground as he made off with the stolen goods, police said.

And the day after Christmas, police said a bald, tattooed man ran off with 60 pairs of cotton panties after assaulting the security guard.